The Village Board voted to retain Mickey, Wilson, Weiler & Renzi of Aurora for future legal services at a rate of $110 an hour, the rate charged by Edwards, who started out as village attorney in 1967. At the time, he served concurrently as an assistant state's attorney in Kane County, when that was not a full-time position.

Peter K. Wilson Jr. will serve as the village's primary attorney, and he will be assisted by Steven A. Andersson, village administrator John DuRocher said.

Police Chief Dennis Schmidt noted how Edwards put him at ease during his first courtroom testimony, which occurred in traffic court in 1974. Schmidt admitted to Edwards he was a bit nervous.

"Dennis, the hardest questions I will ask you will be your name and occupation," Schmidt recalled Edwards telling him. "All of the other questions would be either yes or no."

Edwards left the prosecutor's office after eight years of service in 1972, when he left to concentrate full-time on his private law practice. He is giving up his interest in Edwards, Jordan & O'Connor of Aurora, which Edwards founded in 1964 with Eugene Parker, to take his new position, which pays about $110,000 a year.

In his new post, to which he won a four-year appointment, Edwards will float among judicial divisions where needed, he said. He expects to start Friday hearing domestic violence and non-support cases.